Vikings Now Have Cap Space for at Least One More Big Move
With the dust settling on the Za’Darius Smith signing, conversion of Danielle Hunter’s contractual money, and restructures of Harrison Smith and Adam Thielen, the Vikings now have cap space for at least one more big move.
Once Thielen’s renegotiation is official on the books, Minnesota will have about $16 million in cap space to pursue free agents and save to sign upcoming draft picks.
The Za’Darius Revelation
When the bombshell arrived that Smith signed with the Vikings on Tuesday, there was some sticker shock on his $14 million per season salary. Well, that was overblown as the contract is structured incredibly favorably for the Vikings. Smith’s cap hit is slightly over $3 million in 2022, significantly lower than the $14 million advertisement earlier in the week. From OverTheCap, these are the specs of the agreement:
That is a wonderful contract for a team acquiring an All-Pro player. Plain and simple.
So, here’s what the Vikings can shop for with the newfound cash.
Starting Cornerbacks
The Vikings need cornerbacks. It’s a theme of the offseason. Cameron Dantzler, Harrison Hand, Kris Boyd, and Parry Nickerson are the corners living on the depth chart right now. That won’t cut it for a playoff-contending team.
Thankfully, plenty of corners still reside on the free-agent market. Notable players like Bryce Callahan, Kyle Fuller, Stephen Gilmore, Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, Patrick Peterson, and Richard Sherman are unsigned. And, voila, the Vikings have around $16 million to spend on shiny new players.
Unless the plan is to conduct a cornerback-drafting bonanza in April, the Vikings must sign a starting cornerback — and now the organization has the funds to do it.
Interior Offensive Linemen
If Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer were still in charge of the Vikings, they’d likely perceive the current group of offensive linemen as a “done deal” because, well, that’s how it always worked with the old regime. At the moment, from left to right, the offensive trenches look something like this:
- LT: Christian Darrisaw
- LG: Ezra Cleveland
- C: Garrett Bradbury
- RG: Oli Udoh / Wyatt Davis
- RT: Brian O’Neill
The part where it says “Bradbury, Udoh, and Davis” needs insurance. The Spielmanesque and Zimmerian way was to hobble into the regular season believing that interior duo would be fine.
They were never fine.
While it’s possible the new coaching staff could extract some Rams-ish voodoo from Bradbury or Udoh, that leaves a lot to chance and is the “old way” of doing things for the Vikings.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could invest a portion of $16 million in a center or guard like JC Tretter from the Cleveland Browns or Ereck Flowers of the Washington Commanders. Those men are available.
Overall, the money is there, the Vikings renewed playoff contender stakes, and two glaring roster needs exist. Now’s the time to improve.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. His YouTube Channel, VikesNow, debuts in March 2022. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
You must be logged in to post a comment.